


requiescat in pace

by cottontale



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Assassins Creed AU!, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-08 15:37:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1946649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cottontale/pseuds/cottontale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Deep, but not poisoned. You're lucky; the Templars have been providing the Saracens with it recently. And I'll have to stitch it." </p><p>Eren heaved a sigh, leg shaking as Levi pressed down with fresh gauze. </p><p>"You'll be fine," Levi huffed. "You'll be falling through the bureau roof again soon enough."</p>
            </blockquote>





	requiescat in pace

**Author's Note:**

> you know you love the title, we're all nerds here
> 
> also, for a visual, Eren and Levi both wear Altair's robes

"It's just the third finger," He sounded highly amused. "It'll be over in a blink." 

Eren felt sick to his stomach. This was worse than his first leap of faith. 

"And—" The young, recently demoted novice swallowed. "And there is no other way?" 

His master raised a brow, "Another way? Well, sure, I can break it first and then chop it off. Quit whining, the fact you were chosen is a great honor." 

"I know! I know that, of course," Eren quickly let out a breath before looking to Levi through his sweaty hair. "I've just, you know, never cut off a finger before. Will it hurt?" 

Levi raised the cleaver, pressing on his hand before blinking slowly. 

"Will it hurt? I'm cutting off your fucking finger, of course it will hurt."

"N-No, I meant like, will it hurt a lot? How much?" Eren corrected, a heat wave smacking his face.

"Novice," Levi began. "Shut up." 

"Right." His voice cracked.

"Close your eyes," Levi advised, putting pressure on the hand again before aiming. "Don't tense up, it'll hurt worse." 

Eren cried harder that night than he'd ever done in his life. Levi just rubbed his back. 

-

Jerusalem was not what he expected. The Holy City stank, rotting from the inside out, more citizens sleeping on the streets than in homes. Saracens and Templars stalked the alleys and entrance, leaving Eren with no choice but to ride from Masyaf and climb the wall. Already so damaged from Saladin's invasion, the climb provided no headache. 

Eren gripped the edge, not quite used to the lack of a finger and struggled. He took longer than he should have, but managed and dropped to the other side. He rolled and stood quickly, brushing off his white robes, fixing his hood. 

"I've never seen a stranger man.... truly." He heard a civilian say, but he kept on, forcing down his smile. 

Slipping into an alley, past a beggar, Eren sprinted up a short wall and reached the ledge. He crouched, scanning the rooftops before continuing to sprint, looking for the trellis. He spotted the vines an hour later, near the center of the city, passed the market, but there were too many guards. 

He paused, thinking. What would his master do? 

Closing his eyes, he imagined Levi turning to him, only his nose and mouth visible from under the hood. 

"You take those two," He envisioned, watching Levi's lips mouth and form the words. "I'll take the rest." 

Even though it wasn't real, he couldn't help but feel his heart jump. 

"You can't take eight Saracens by yourself." He would argue, but he knew his master too well. 

"Shut up and kill those two bastards. You're lucky you get even those, Novice." 

Irritated, Eren opened his eyes and flicked out his hidden blades, starting for the nearest guard. 

The Saracen didn't have a chance to fight back, Eren jumping on his back and sinking in his left blade into his neck. The man gurgled violently before Eren pushed him off the rooftop, scattering the traffic down below. He didn't wait to hear the screams, but kept on, jumping over gaps and grabbing ledges. 

Three corpses later, he preyed on the last. This Saracen heard him coming, turning and drawing his sword from his red robes.

"You, stop! Assassin!" 

Eren didn't respond, but waited for the guard to strike, switching to his own long sword. The man swung low, so Eren made to dodge, not even blinking at the cut on his thigh. He moved back and the guard followed, yelling and drawing too much attention. 

So he taunted. 

"Are you afraid?" Eren asked, circling the Saracen. "I can't be that good." 

The guard didn't budge, so Eren tried again. 

"You must be slow. Well, you're certainly well fed!" He laughed. 

With a scream, the Saracen lunged and Eren countered, slicing his hamstrings. The man fell to his knees, Eren's sword quickly sinking again into his shoulder and neck. Kicking the body away and removing his blade, Eren huffed. 

"I'm covered in blood," He muttered, looking to the corpse. "Thanks." 

He jumped to the last rooftop, but on his landing, his leg gave out. Smacking face down onto the trellis, he yelped. He dripped blood on the pillows as he slowly edged down, holding on with his hands, legs swinging. 

He fell into the fountain below, only just managing to catch himself before his head met the stone edge. Shaking his wet hair, he shivered and hissed in pain. 

"Should have known." Eren lifted his head, blinking water out of his eyes. At the entrance to the bureau, his master stood with his arms crossed. 

"G-Greetings, master." Trying to retain some of his dignity, Eren limped from the fountain and dripped onto the carpets. 

Levi leaned on the doorframe, "You're dripping blood and water and that's all you have to say?" 

"Um, sorry?" Eren tried, "I'll clean it." 

"Yes, you will." Levi nodded, motioning with his hand for Eren to follow. "Let me see that wound." 

He disappeared inside, leaving Eren to wring out his robes before joining him. He hurriedly fixed his hair in the slightly red fountain water's reflection. 

"Eren." 

"Coming." He called back.

Limping into the bureau, Eren grabbed the counter Levi stood behind. 

"Sit." Levi ordered. "How deep is it?"

"Not..." He made the mistake of looking his master in the eyes as he sat. "Um, I don't know. It hurts." 

Levi sighed and brought out the gauze, walking out from around the counter and kneeling. Carefully, Levi pulled off Eren’s boot and rolled up his brown pants. 

"Hold back your robes," He said, smacking away the bloody white cloth. "And rest your foot on my leg while I clean it."

Barefoot touching leg, Eren looked anywhere but down. Levi worked silently, as he usually did, providing pressure and inspecting. 

"H-How—ouch—how is it?" Eren asked, managing a glance. 

The cut was pretty deep and still bleeding freely, no less than a fingers width long. 

"Deep, but not poisoned. You're lucky; the Templars have been providing the Saracens with it recently. And I'll have to stitch it." 

Eren heaved a sigh, leg shaking as Levi pressed down with fresh gauze. 

"You'll be fine," Levi huffed. "You'll be falling through the bureau again soon enough." 

Hiding his smile, Eren hummed into his arm. 

-

Only once had he called his master by his name and he definitely earned the bruises accompanying that honor. 

"Levi," He hissed, crouching next to his master. "I've counted twenty-two men. We need to call for—"

"No, I can handle it." Levi insisted, pushing Eren's face away with his hand. "Ew, don't lick me." 

Eren scoffed quietly, "You put your fingers in my mouth." 

"Did not, you idiot." He wiped the wet tips of his fingers on Eren's robes. Whining at the gesture, Eren pushed Levi's shoulder. 

"Don't wipe it on me." 

"Your drool, your robes." Levi snapped back and Eren had a quick vision of two toddlers arguing over a toy. 

"That's so unfair! You're acting like you're four years ol—"

Levi smacked a hand over his mouth, shushing him as the men below them began to speak. 

And because he wanted to have the last word, Eren licked his palm and held a smug sense of satisfaction when Levi didn't pull away, but simply kicked his ass, literally, after the mission. It was so worth it. He tasted like sweat and the honey he poured in his drink. 

-

Levi kneeled over the dead body, finished with his questions. They now had a location for Robert de Sablé. The Templar died on a dirty street of Acre and Eren handed his master a feather. 

He dipped the feather in the blood and gracefully closed the man's eyes. 

Eren carefully watched him all the way back to Jerusalem. 

-

"If you have time," Hange began, "We'd appreciate it if you'd give the boys a little lesson." 

Eren looked around the entrance of the Brotherhood, wondering where Levi had disappeared. The master had been beside him a moment ago.

"Wait, you mean me?" He asked, pointing to his chest. 

"Yes, you." Hange smiled. "Levi won't shut up about your counter kills, said you're not bad for a novice." 

He held that spark of pride in his chest for less than a second. Then he remembered Levi never could compliment someone without criticism. Slumping, Eren shrugged.

"Sure, I have time. We're not leaving for Jerusalem until dawn." 

"Good," Hange turned, gesturing to the wooden fence that made a makeshift ring. "We're working on disarming and counter kills. They just can't seem to grasp it." 

Eren wasn't sure how he'd be a better teacher, as Hange was a master like Levi, only considerably more skilled in reading. He may or may not believe Hange had taught Levi the alphabet. 

"All right, listen up you bastards," Eren couldn't help but grin at Hange’s words. "Eren is going to help you with your counters and disarming. Pay attention." 

General scoffing and snorts ensued. 

"Him? He's a novice." 

"A novice? Even we're past his rank."

Hange drew their sword and swung at Eren, who had a split second to dodge and letting his instincts guide him to survive.

He took a hit to his greaves and put his weight into kicking them in the back. Hange stumbled forward, grip on their sword loosening. Eren took the opportunity and disarmed the master, sending Hange to their knees, blade at the throat.

"Forgive me," He mumbled as he helped Hange stand. "I was surprised." 

"See!" Hange spoke to the gaping crowd of assassins in the yard, ignoring the apology with a strong hand on his shoulder. "He disarmed a master. So shut the fuck up and learn." 

Up first was a bald assassin, third fingers freshly missing. 

"I-I'm Connie," He introduced himself with a bow. "You're pretty cool." 

Eren couldn't help but smile. 

"Thanks." He sheathed his sword, "Let's get started." 

 

-

"Don't let it go to your head," Levi spoke, looking up from his book. "But they're in love with you."

Eren sat next to him, sweating and grinning. He looked down from the high window, watching the assassins on the ground wave shyly to him as they continued to practice. Hange ended up stabbing someone in the arm with a hidden blade at the distraction. Eren winced. 

"Their fault for not paying attention," Levi went on, returning to his book. "Can't be distracted by every pair of pretty eyes you see." 

Barely managing to catch himself from falling out the window, Eren slid away to wash up, ears red. He couldn't practically feel Levi's amusement at his back.

-

Darius Zackly, leader of the Brotherhood, did not look happy.

"We know of his location," Erwin offered, standing between Levi and Zackly. Strategically or not, Eren did not know. "He cannot hide from us. There is no need for more interrogation." 

Levi shifted on his heels, jaw clenched. Eren carefully brushed his arm. 

"No need? Of course there is need," Zackly argued, voice booming in the open stone halls, "He could have moved in the last week, especially with news of eight of the nine Templars dead. Tell me, Smith. You're a master; you should understand what I am saying. Would you risk your men's lives without all the necessary information?" 

Diplomatically, Erwin kept silent, lowering his head. Zackly had won the argument. 

"Good," Zackly moved past Erwin, no longer shielding Levi. "You know what to do." 

And because Levi followed the rules, he nodded. 

-

"You don't have to," Eren pleaded, but quickly took a step back when Erwin looked to him. Again, he stepped in front of Levi. "Master, please." 

"Eren, I understand that you were recently demoted to novice," Erwin began and Eren flinched at the reminder, "You're lucky your master is allowing you to be here, much less continuing to teach you. Do not question him." 

Offended, Eren took a step back. 

"I’m not questioning  _him_." 

Erwin tilted his head, eyes calculating but gentle. 

"Then who are you questioning?" 

"Eren," Levi spoke up and moved from behind Erwin. "You're here because you're my errand boy. So shut up." 

The assassin snapped his mouth shut, irrevocably hurt at his master's words. Levi turned from him and entered a different room to begin his interrogation. 

Eren sat on the floor, nursing the lashing Levi's words gave him, passing Erwin glares when he wasn't looking. 

Only when the screaming began did he forget his own pain. 

"Please, master," Eren turned to Erwin, who looked like he was battling with his own type of torture. "This is wrong. We're not torturers, this isn't—"

" _Nothing is true, everything is permitted._ " Erwin reminded him, making Eren snap his jaws shut again, teeth clacking. "That is our Creed, that is what we must do."

"And we protect against the unnecessary slaughter of innocents!”

Erwin slowly looked up, eyes dark and full of unshared pain.

“Levi shared the Creed with you fully, then?”

“Yes?” Eren answered, brows furrowed.

The master rose to his full height, speaking over the screams of the man in the other room.

“Then he recognizes you as a full brother, no longer a novice.” He smiled without teeth, before a terrible yell echoed into the room. “But that man is not innocent. Eren, he is a Templar spy and a rapist. We cannot allow this opportunity to slip by.”

“I-I… I understand that. He’s a monster. But Levi isn’t. He’s changed. Jerusalem has taken something from him and he’s not… himself. Please, master, don’t let him do this.”

“Taken something from him?” Erwin repeated.

“Yes,” Eren stressed the word, standing and walking to the door that did almost nothing to bar the screams, “Please, make him stop.”

“It’s not my choice to make,” Erwin sighed. “I would if I could, Eren. But we need this information.”

-

Taking a chance, Eren opened the doors to Levi’s chambers and found his bet had paid off. Levi wasn’t looking at him, but simply resting on his windowsill. His book lay forgotten on the dirty floor, which made Eren cringe. Eren walked inside, closing the doors, before bending to grab the book. Dusting off the worst of the dirt, Eren carefully placed it in Levi’s lap.

Levi looked up, eyes dead.

“What’re you doing?” His voice matched his eyes.

“You dropped it.” Eren explained, sitting underneath the sill, close enough to rest his head on the side of Levi’s thigh if he chose. “And I came to make sure you were…” His voice trailed off.

“M’ fine.” Levi mumbled, but didn’t complain with Eren heaved a sigh and rested his head on him. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

Eren jerked forward.

“Levi,” He tested the waters and when his master didn’t hit him for the lack of rank, he continued. “Will you be okay?”

The master looked contemplative for a moment before looking back out the window.

“Eventually.”

It sounded like a promise, so Eren settled back against Levi’s thigh.

“Don’t be a martyr.” Eren whispered and only relaxed when Levi’s fingers ran through his hair, scratching his scalp. He could only just tell he was shaking.

-

“I like Jerusalem.”

“You like this toilet?”

“Yes.”

Levi huffed over his papers, leaning against the counter as Eren cleaned his blades.

“What’s there to like about Jerusalem?” Levi asked.

“Well,” Eren paused his wiping to look towards the trellis through the doorway. “I think I more like the idea of Jerusalem. Peace. Safety. A Kingdom with a righteous ruler and a god; sounds nice, actually, to have someone else to lean on for once.”

The master stopped his scribbling to stare. Eren went on, not noticing his master’s gaze.

 “Must be lonely to be a god though.” He mused. “All that power, all that knowledge, but with no one to share it with…” Eren sighed and continued to wipe down his blades. “It’s sad Jerusalem fell.”

“Why did their god let it fall in the first place?” Levi shocked Eren, who nearly cut himself on his sword at the question. “Why wouldn’t he just smite the Saracens and save his people?”

Eren smiled, crows feet around his eyes.

“Maybe he had other plans.”

Levi snorted.

“Fucking stupid ones.”

Eren laughed, but then cut off, yelling as he really did cut himself.

-

The betrayal was like losing his mother all over again. Masyaf was in chaos. Eren clutched onto his blood-soaked empty robe sleeve.

“ _Fuck_.” He hissed, looking at his limp and bleeding arm on the stone floor. He fell to his knees. “Fuck.” He repeated, voice weak, his vision dimming.

“Eren, you need to get up.” Hange was trying to tug him to his feet, but Eren was in shock. “Please,” They begged. “We need to get you to a doctor.”

A doctor was the last thing he wanted. The pain was numbing now, head feeling light. He blinked rapidly to stay awake.

“Eren!” Hange snapped, finally getting him to stand on trembling legs. “We need to get you to Levi.”

At the name of his former master, Eren turned his pale face to Hange.

“L-Levi.”

“Yes, Levi. He doesn’t know yet. Please, let’s go.”

Hange killed seventeen men before Eren let out another howl of anguish, the makeshift tourniquet slowing the bleeding, but leaving him to fight with a single arm. 

But an assassin jabbed him in the ribs, performing a counter and disarming him, a move he had taught the man himself.

-

He fell off his horse twice.

Hange was covered in his blood. 

-

When he woke, the foul smell of Jerusalem reached his nose. 

"He's awake." Recognizing Erwin's voice, Eren turned to lay on his side, but his weight was off. Oh.

"Eren." Hange was hovering over him, wearing the same robes as before. "Go back to sleep, you're safe."

He obeyed.

But what felt like a moment, was actually three days. He was disgusting, in spite of Levi giving him quick baths with a cloth every night. His arm was pulsing in with fierce rhythm that almost made him pass out again.

"Don't move so much." This time, Levi was in the room, apparently washing his hair. The trickle and sound of water must have stirred him. "Rest some more, I'm almost done."

"I'm tired of sleeping." Eren whined, throat dry. "Water?"

Levi rinsed his hair one last time before wrapping a cloth under and around his head. Quickly, he poured a cup from the pot on a table. The wood was covered in bloody bandages. 

Barely swallowing, Eren gave back the cup. 

"What happened?" 

"You don't remember?" Levi's voice was soft. He settling on the bed beside him, fixing his position so Eren was no longer halfway off the bed, nearest the basin of soapy water. "Zackly betrayed the Brotherhood. He turned our brothers against us and the Templars invaded Masyaf." 

Levi brushed his hair, sliding off the cloth to dry.

"Erwin killed him, with Mike's help. Hange brought you here three nights ago and we managed to save your life." He sounded fragile. "Masyaf is in ruins. Zackly burned it to the ground before Erwin could kill him. Everything is gone."  

Eren nodded, head dizzy. "He cut off my arm." 

A pained exhale. "He did." 

-

The months of recovery were the worst. Free running was out of the question, along with sparring. No swords, no knives, no bow and arrow. Only rest and daily bathing. 

Eren just about had enough. 

"I lost an arm," He muttered darkly into his cup. "Not a leg. I should be out there, training." 

"Give it time," Levi turned to him, leaning against the wall atop the bed. "You'll be falling through the bureau roof again soon."

The familiar words made Eren snort into his water. 

"That was one time." He argued back, wiping his face with his sleeve. "And I was injured."

"Oh, I remember." Levi put aside his book. "You had the pattern of the trellis imprinted on your forehead." 

Eren smacked his hand to his head, as if he could hide what happened in the past. 

"Really?" He whined. 

"It was cute." 

Shifting on the bed, Eren refused to meet his former master's eyes. 

"Don't sulk." Levi sounded as amused as the time Eren asked if cutting off a finger hurt. 

"M' not sulking." Eren moved to cross his arms, but his missing limb was cut above the elbow, making it impossible. He huffed, settling for just sinking into the bed. 

"Definitely sulking." Levi's fingers found his hair again, scratching his scalp. 

-

A year later and his arm was completely healed, the slightly puckered skin healthy and slightly paler than the rest of his tan complexion. Eren tried not to stare at it too much.

“Have to keep up.” Levi told him, running past him as they free ran across the rooftops. He landed, rolling to his feet before looking back. “Come on, Eren, I want to show you something.”

Not one to refuse the opportunity to run again, to soar over the heads of unsuspecting men and women, Eren bent and sprinted to clear the gap. He landed next to Levi, who smiled.

“What’re you going to show me?”

“You’ll see.” Levi only offered a shrug before starting to run again, swinging with one hand as he dropped a level from a ledge. Eren couldn’t smother his smile, knowing Levi challenged himself to sometimes us one hand like Eren only could now.

After a moment of struggling—damn was he so out of shape—Eren dropped next to him. Levi let him catch his breath before sprinting over more gaps and heads ignoring the whispers (“She must be a very beautiful woman.”), throwing a look to Eren.

Eren ran after him, thankful Levi didn’t treat him differently. They ran for twenty minutes, towards the eastern edge of the city, Eren refusing to ask for a break as his body shook with exertion and too much exercise.

“Just one more climb,” Levi promised, pointing to the tall tower. “Think you can do it before sunrise tomorrow?”

Pushing his shoulder, Eren laughed with him.

“Whatever, old man. Race you to the top.”

Levi used one arm as well, starting on the opposite side of the tower. Eren almost fell before finally reaching the top, a large enough post for both of them to sit comfortably. Neither of them mentioned that Levi nearly lost to a cripple.

“So. Are you going to tell me what we’re doing up here?”

“Just shut up and wait.” Levi jostled his shoulder, scoff almost affectionate. Eren’s chest swelled.

The sun slowly sank, disappearing behind clouds. The walls of Jerusalem swallowed the light, leaving a soft glow.

“This is nice.” Eren commented.

“Not the sunset, idiot.” Levi rested his head on Eren’s shoulder. “Keep watching.”

The loud explosion was so sudden Eren almost fell off the tower. There was a stack of hay below, but knowing him, he’d miss.

“What are those?” Eren gasped as another burst of white light flashed across the sky.

“No idea.” Levi hummed as Eren also set his head atop his own.

-

Their first kiss was an accident.

The second wasn’t.

The third, yes, also an accident, but they quickly made it purposeful.

-

Eren sank his hidden blade in the Templars neck, enjoying the sickening squelch and crunch of bone as he kicked the body off the walls of the Holy City.

“That was the tenth.” Levi told him, leaning over the edge to see.

“What? No, he was the ninth.”

“Zackly was the ninth,” The master gave the corpse a middle finger. Eren laughed at the tasteful gesture. “Mike got to de Sablé with King Richard.”

“So…” Eren looked over the wall of Jerusalem, to the far off dirt roads leading to Damascus and Acre. “What now?”

“What do you mean, ‘what now’?” Levi looked vaguely pissed off. “We’re assassins. We’re a part of a brotherhood.”

Eren quickly placed a kiss on the corner of Levi’s lips.

“I know, sorry, I didn’t mean like that.” Eren gave him a small smile. “I didn’t mean let’s leave. Honestly, I don’t think I ever could. It’s home.”

The master hummed before nodding, holding Eren’s hand, squeezing for a silent apology for snapping.

“Well, I can think of a few things.” Levi muttered, but at Eren’s look, he quickly added, “Other than sex, I mean. You’re a master now.”

Eren smiled, stretching proudly.

“I am.”

 A poke to the ribs had him yipping over the wall. A kiss made up for the embarrassing sound the entirety of the Holy City had probably heard. 

**Author's Note:**

> Go play the AC games. All of the them. Now. 
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://foxicology.tumblr.com/)


End file.
